Combined watch and continuous watch band

ABSTRACT

A wrist watch which comprises a substantially continuous watch band arranged so that a central portion of the band extends across the user&#39;&#39;s wrist and further serves as the dial or face of the watch. Soldered or otherwise secured to the underside of the band is the watch case including the watch movement and from which a center spindle supporting the hour and second hands extends through a small opening in the watch band so as to be positioned over said band central portion. A frame or bezel is soldered or otherwise secured to the opposite, upper side of the band above the watch movement. A crystal is supported by the bezel. As a result, the watch band become part of the watch itself, specifically its face. A standard size watch case movement can be used regardless of any form the watch frame or bezel will take. On the other hand, the frame or bezel may assume unlimited shapes and configurations because it is used to delineate any desired portion of the band central portion. Thus the over-all construction of the watch is simplified while unlimited aesthetic configurations are made possible.

United States Patent Manceri [54] COMBINED WATCH AND CONTINUOUS WATCHBAND [7 2] Inventor: John Manceri, Long Island, NY.

[73] Assignee: Judson Jewelry Corp., New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Nov. 15, 1971 [21] Appi. No.: 198,518

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,189,909 4/1970 GreatBritain ..58/88W370,265 8/1963 Switzerland ....58/88W 1 June 27, 1972 PrimaryExaminer-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-George H. Miller, JrAttorney-S. Stephen Baker ABSTRACT A wrist watch which comprises asubstantially continuous watch band arranged so that a central portionof the band extends across the users wrist and further serves as thedial or face of the watch. Soldered or otherwise secured to theunderside of the band is the watch case including the watch movement andfrom which a center spindle supporting the hour and second hands extendsthrough a small opening in the watch band so as to be positioned oversaid band central portion. A frame or bezel is soldered or otherwisesecured to the opposite, upper side of the band above the watchmovement. A crystal is supported by the bezel. As a result, the watchband become part of the watch itself, specifically its face. A standardsize watch case movement can be used regardless of any form the watchframe or bezel will take. 0n the other hand, the frame or bezel mayassume unlimited shapes and configurations because it is used todelineate any desired portion of the band central portion. Thus theover-all construction of the watch is simplified while unlimitedaesthetic configurations are made possible.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 2 7 m2 SHEET 2 BF 2 COMBINEDWATCH AND CONTINUOUS WATCH BAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates generally to a wrist watch provided with a band orbracelet the remote ends of which may be provided with complementaryclasps if desired. Conventional wrist watches comprise a watch movementand case as well as the usual central spindle supporting hour and secondhands and the like. A separate dial face, crystal bezel, and a band orbracelet are conventionally provided. All these are correlated such asfor shape, size and for function of course. This imposes severelimitations, one, for example, being the fact that the bezel and crystalmust have a configuration which matches the dial face. Often, the watchcase movements must be similarly correlated.

However, the present invention substantially eliminates all the aboveinter-relationships of configuration by automatically providing a dialface which matches the bezel. The use of a standard, universal watchcase movement is also made possible in the combination. Other unexpectedand highly economic advantages are further realized while in factimproving the aesthetic qualities of the watch as will be shownhereinafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the presentinvention to provide a combined vwrist watch and band therefor whichassume a peculiar relationship in that the band itself functions as anintegral part of the watch, specifically its face. This objective isfurther augmented by most important details in that the usual hour andsecond hands cooperate with the band, rather than with a separate watchdial as is conventional.

Another most important object of this invention is to make possible theuse of infinite varieties and configurations of crystals and bezels,regardless of the watch face and in fact substantially independentthereof. My experience has been that those skilled in the art havepronounced such an objective as impossible since it 'wasjgenerallyassumed that a bezel must substantially surround and conform to a dialface of finite configuration. Other limitations were similarly imposedon watch construction.

Essential1y, this invention solves problems indicated above by firstextending the band or bracelet completely across the upper wrist.'This'per se is not new. However, I employ the band control portion atthe watch face. To this end, I secure a standard sized watch casemovement on the underside of said band central portion with a watch handspindle which penetrates said central portion and to which the watchhands are secured as is conventional.

Now, a bezel or frame and crystal of any configuration may be securedover said band central portion. It will be realized accordingly that thewatch face immediately and automaticallyassumes the shape of the bezel,because it is the bezel which defines and delineates the watch faceportion of the wrist band.

The advantages of the foregoing construction are multiple. In additionto'the aesthetic advantages, considerable economies are are realized. Astandard sized watch movement case may be employed in all instances. Adial or watch face is eliminated. Even the dial numeral markings may beeliminated because the numerals are advantageously painted on theunderside of the crystal, although I believe this per se is not new. Atany rate, precision in positioning the bezel in place is minimizedbecause it need not be correlated to dial numerals. As above set forth,watch attachment clasps on the band are eliminated. To all the aboveadvantages is added the fact that a wrist watch of unusually pleasingappearance is realized.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate apreferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the combined watch and watch hand thereforaccording to this invention, the band being broken away at its endportions;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one form of the assembled watch andwatch band;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. '4 is a bottom plan view as taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, thecomponent parts of the invention comprise a standard watch movement 10having the usual winding stem 11 and the center spindle l2. Spindle 12of course is actuated by the usual watch movement gears and the like andit supports the usual hour, minute and second hands 13. A covering case14 is provided as is conventional for the movement 10.

A substantially continuous elongated watch band 15 is provided. Thewatch band is continuous except that it may optionally incorporateremote complementary end clasps 16 as shown in FIG. 2 for the usualwrist attachment function although other means may obviously be employedfor this purpose.

Watch band 15 is most advantageously fabricated of flexible tight meshmetal construction of uniform texture and composition but this is notessential since the band may well be of leather or plastic or thelike.The actual mesh construction is conventional. Preferably at the centerof the band 15 is formed a hole 16 which admits the spindle l2therethrough. The hands 13, as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 are supportedby the spindle 12 immediately above the central portion of the band 15so as to cooperate or co-act therewith in the manner that the hands of aconventional watch co-act with a conventional separate watch face ordial.

Secured to the upper face of a central portion of the band 15, as willhereinafter be described, is the frame or bezel 18 which supports inconventional fashion the crystal 19. Preferably, but not necessarily,the underside of crystal I9 is provided with numeral indications 20which may be painted on such underside and visible of course through thetransparent crystal.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the bezel I8 is shown as secured bysolder 22 around its perimeter to the metal watch band 15. Should theband be of leather or plastic other types of connection may be made,whether by rivets or an adhering plastic or the like. The crystal isthen supported above the band portion which is delineated by theparticular bezel employed. For example, the bezel may assume an infinityof shapes. It may be diamond shaped, rhomboid shaped, round, or have anirregular configuration, but it always will delineate a correspondingportion of the upper face of the band l5, which portion willautomatically serve as the face or dial of the composite watch assembly.The crystal underside markings 20 avoid the necessity of precisepositioning of numerals or indicia on the band face. In fact, all thatis necessary in regard to the upper face portion is to dispose the bezelsymmetrically in respect to spindle l2 and solder it in place.

Another important aspect is that the watch movement 10 with its case 12may have a configuration entirely independent of that of bezel 18.Accordingly, it may be completely standardized to co-act with the bezelregardless of the bezel shape. Employing a standard sized watch casemovement in all watch forms is obviously a considerable economy. Themovement may be secured to the underside of the band 15 as by theperimeter solder 24.

It will be recognized from the foregoing that an intermediate portion ofthe watch band 15, usually its center portion, will normally bepositioned directly over the back of the wearers wrist and will in factfunction as the dial or face of the composite watch assembly with allthe unexpected advantages above described. The delineated watch faceportion is of course integral with and indistinguishable in texture andcomposition from the remainder of the watch band.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is obviousthat numerous changes and omissions may be made therein withoutdeparting from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined watch and elongated watch band therefore comprising asubstantially continuous watch band having an intermediate portionthereof normally positioned over the upper wrist of the user, a watchcase and enclosed watch movement secured to the underside of saidintermediate portion and having a central spindle penetrating saidintermediate portion, watch hands secured to said spindle so as tooverlie said intermediate portion whereby said intermediate portionserves as a watch face for said watch hands and are jointly visibletherewith when viewed from above, and a bezel and transparent crystalsecured in place over said intermediate portion whereby saidintermediate portion and said watch hands may be jointly viewed throughsaid crystal.

2. An article according to claim 1 and wherein said watch band is ofsubstantially uniform texture and composition throughout its length andsaid bezel is secured at a centrally disposed intermediate portionthereof so that said bezel delineates a portion of said band dependingupon the configuration of said bezel and whereby said crystal likewisedelineates a portion of said band so that the delineated portion of saidband constitutes the face or dial of the article over which the watchhands lie, and wherein said watch face is integral with andindistinguishable in texture and composition from the remainder of theband.

3. An article according to claim 2 and wherein said watch case andenclosed movement have a configuration and size independent of theconfiguration of said bezel and crystal.

4. An article according to claim 3 and wherein said watch band isuniformly fabricated substantially throughout its entire length offlexible mesh metal material.

5. An article according to claim 4 and wherein watch numeral indicationsare applied to said crystal for joint visibility with both said watchhands and said delineated watch band portion.

1. A combined watch and elongated watch band therefore comprising asubstantially continuous watch band having an intermediate portionthereof normally positioned over the upper wrist of the user, a watchcase and enclosed watch movement secured to the underside of saidintermediate portion and having a central spindle penetrating saidintermediate portion, watch hands secured to said spindle so as tooverlie said intermediate portion whereby said intermediate portionserves as a watch face for said watch hands and are jointly visibletherewith when viewed from above, and a bezel and transparent crystalsecured in place over said intermediate portion whereby saidintermediate portion and said watch hands may be jointly viewed throughsaid crystal.
 2. An article according to claim 1 and wherein said watchband is of substantially uniform texture and composition throughout itslength and said bezel is secured at a centrally disposed intermediateportion thereof so that said bezel delineates a portion of said banddepending upon the configuration of said bezel and whereby said crystallikewise delineates a portion of said band so that the delineatedportion of said band constitutes the face or dial of the article overwhich the watch hands lie, and wherein said watch face is integral withand indistinguishable in texture and composition from the remainder ofthe band.
 3. An article according to claim 2 and wherein said watch caseand enclosed movement have a configuration and size independent of theconfiguration of said bezel and crystal.
 4. An article according toclaim 3 and wherein said watch band is uniformly fabricatedsubstantially throughout its entire length of flexible mesh metalmaterial.
 5. An article according to claim 4 and wherein watch numeralindications are applied to said crystal for joint visibility with bothsaid watch hands and said delineated watch band portion.